Skytrain Bridge brings metro a step closer

The deck of the landmark Sydney Metro bridge is in the air, bringing NSW’s first metro railway one step closer.

The deck of the landmark Sydney Metro bridge is in the air, bringing NSW’s first metro railway one step closer.

Premier Gladys Berejiklian and Minister for Transport and Infrastructure Andrew Constance met workers today to walk the deck of the skytrain bridge, inspired by the Anzac Bridge, over Windsor Road at Rouse Hill.

“This is a critical milestone in delivering a 21st century railway system to greater Sydney,” Ms Berejiklian said.

The 270m long bridge is the first ever cable-stayed railway bridge on a curve built in Australia.

Mr Constance said Sydney Metro was progressing at full speed and will change the way people move around Sydney.

“Before you know it, a new metro train will be running here every four minutes in the peak in each direction, bringing reliable metro rail to this region – and Australia – for the first time,” Mr Constance said.

The deck is made of 88 massive concrete segments each weighing between 70 and 140 tonnes. The delicate engineering operation to put them in place occurred 7 metres above ground and mainly at night, resulting in minimal disruption to local traffic.

More than 4,600 people have worked on the skytrain project so far.

Over coming months, twin 45m bridge towers and steel cables will be installed.

Stage 1 of Sydney Metro – the $8.3 billion Sydney Metro Northwest project – opens in the first half of 2019 with a metro train every four minutes in the peak.

Services start in 2024 on Stage 2, which extends metro rail from the North West under Sydney Harbour, into the CBD and beyond.